Automatic fabric-loop drier and feed for same.



B. A. PARKES. AUTOMATIC FABRIC LOOP DRIER AND FEED FOR SAME.

APPLICATION FILED APR.15, 1913.

1,071,653 1. Patented Aug. 26, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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COLUMBIA PLANOORAFH CO.,WASHXNGTON. Dv c B. A. PARKES.

AUTOMATIC FABRIC LOOP DRIER AND FEED FOE SAME.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 15, 1913.

1,071,651, Patented Aug. 26, 1913.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

IMO/Mom COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

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Patented Aug. 26, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 15, 1913.

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c BIA PLANOGRAPH C0,,WASH1NGTON n c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BERTRAND A. PARKES, OF BAREEN HILL, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE PHILA-DELPHIA DRYING MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A

CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC FABRIC-LOOP DRIER AND FEED FOR SAME.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BERTRAND A. PARKES, ofBarren Hill. in the county of Montgomcry and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Fabric-Loop Driers andFeeds for Same, whereof the following is a specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates more particularly to devices for feeding plush, orother material that can only be handled on one side thereof, withoutinjuring the fabric, to a drying machine, and forming said fabric inloops which are supported by poles or bars carried by an endlessconveyer passing through the drying machine.

An object of the invention is to provide a feeding mechanism whichcontacts with one face of the fabric only, and which feeding mechanismfor forming the loops may be intermittently operated at properintervals, relative to the travel of the supporting poles carried by theendless conveyer.

A further object of the invention is to provide a supporting pole withmeans for engaging the back face of the fabric, which means effectivelyhold the fabric loop from sliding on the pole, so that said loops may bemade of uniform length, and thus maintained during the entire dryingoperation.

These and other objects will in part be obvious, and will in part behereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of theinvention, Figure I, is a plan view of the receiving end of a dryingmachine, having my improvements applied thereto. Fig. II, is a side viewof the same. Fig. III, is an enlarged detail view showing the manner ofintermittently controlling the feeding drum for the fabric. Fig. IV, isa view on the line IVIV of Fig. III. Fig. V, is a sectional view on theline V, V, of Fig. IV.

The drying machine to which my invention is applied is of the usualconstruction, and comprises an inclosed casing 1, to which is attachedasupporting frame 2, for the feeding-in device, and also for the endlessconveyer 3. Said machine is formed with guide bars 4:, arranged inproper position for supporting the poles during the time that the fabricis carried thereby, and guide Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 15, 1913.

Patented Aug. 26,1913.

Serial No. 761,245.

bars 5, for supporting the poles and the endless conveyer during thereturn movement thereof. This endless conveyer runs over suitablesprocket wheels 6, 6, located at each end of the drying machine, and isdriven in any suitable way so as to have a slow continuous movement. Theendless conveyer consists of two sprocket chains which are connected atintervals by angle bars '7 (see Figs. III and V). Located on each anglebar is a pole 8, which is preferably of wood, and is formedsubstantially rectangular in cross section. A series of pins 9 (seeFigs. IV and V) are inserted in the poles, and are so disposed that thepoints of the pins project slightly from and through the corner of thepole over which the fabric is laid in forming the loops.

The fabric is led over a stretcher bar 10, carried at the outer end ofthe supporting frame 2, and thence over a feed roller 11. This feedroller is journaled in suitable bearings in the frame, and is providedwith a bevel gear 12, at one end thereof, which engages a bevel gear 13,on a driven shaft 14 (see Fig. I). This driven shaft revolves the feedroller continuously. After leaving the feed roller 11, the fabric is ledunderneath a smoothing roller 15, and thence over a feed drum 16. Thisfeed drum is journaled in suitable bearings 17, carried by thesupporting frame 2.

It will be noted that the fabric is so led through the machine that theplush face thereof is out of contact with either the continuouslyoperating feed roller, or the feed drum. After leaving theintermittently operated feed drum 16, the fabric passes over a secondguiding and feed roll 18, also journaled in the supporting frame 2. Thisguiding roll 18, is so positioned that the fabric passing over the samewill pass between the supporting poles 8, carried by the endlessconveyer, and the supporting poles are so arranged that the pins 9, willbe moved through the movement of the poles into con tact with the backface of the fabric.

In Fig. II of the drawings, I have shown the fabric fed so as to form aloop 19. Upon the completion of the loop, the pole 8, as shown in thefigure, contacts with the fabric, the pins engage the same, and thesepins will support the loop and cause a new loop to be formed between thepole and the next following pole. As soon as the pole is brought intoengagement with the loop, and the loop is completed, means are providedfor stopping the movement of the drum until said pole is movedsufficiently to bring the space between said pole and the next followingpole underneath the feed of the fabric from the roll 18.

The drum is intermittently rotated by the following means: At one end ofthe drum there is a belt wheel 20, (see Figs. I and III) over which abelt 21, runs, and this belt also runs over a belt wheel 22, which isaffixed to and travels with the bevel gear 12. The belt 21, ispreferably slack. ll. belt tightener consisting of a roll 23, carried bythe outer end of the lever 24., fulcrumed on a suitable bracket carriedby the supporting frame 2, rests on said belt. Said lever at itsopposite end is provided with a weight This weight normally lifts theroll 23, from the belt, and allows the belt to run substantially freewith little friction on the pulley 20. An operating lever 26, pivoted at27, to the frame, and is formed with an inclined cam member 28, at itsfree end, which is normally disposed in the path of movement of thepoles S. The other end of this lever 26, is provided with an adjustablearm 25), which carries a stop shoe 30. This end of the lever also isformed with a lug 31, through which a rod 32, passes, and suitable nutsare threaded on the outer end of the rod. The upper end of the rod 32,passes through a suitable lug in the lever 24, and on the side of thefulcrum of the lever 24-, adjacent the roll 23. A downward movement ofthe lever 26, will pull down on the lever 23L, tightening the belt andcausing the drum to rotate while an upward movement of the lever 26,will release the belt. The drum 16, is provided with a cam segment 33.The stop 30, as shown in Fig. III, rests against the end of this camsegment, and the drum is held from rotating. As soon as a pole 8, passesunderneath the cam member 28, the lever 26, will be swung so as to movethe stop shoe from the end of the cam segment on the drum, which willrelease the drum, and this downward movement of the lever 26, pulls downon the rod 32, tightens the belt, and causes the drum to rotate. Thedrum will continue to rotate notwithstanding that the pole passes frombeneath the cam member 28, as the shoe 30, rests against the outer faceof this cam segment 33. When the drum has nearly completed a fullrevolution, the stop shoe passes off from the end of the cam segmentwhich is inclined as at 34:. This allows the stop shoe to move back intothe path of travel of the end 35, of the cam segment. It also releasesthe roll bearing on the belt, but the drum will continue to rotatethrough the friction between the wheel 20, and the belt, until said camsegment strikes against the stop shoe, which will prevent furtherrotation of the drum.

The fabric passing from the feed roll 11, to the drum is formed in alarge loop as indicated in Fig. II. This loop increases in size when thedrum is at rest, and when the drum is in movement, the loop will bedecreased in size as the feed of the drum is faster than that of thecontinuously operating feed roller 11. This will be obvious from Fig.II, of the drawings, which shows that the surface speed of the drumwhile moving is greater than the surface speed of the feed roller 11. Iam able by this arrangement and proportioning of the parts to feed thefabric continuously and intermittently to the supporting poles. Thesupporting poles may, therefore, be moved continuously engaging andholding the fabric, while the drum is at rest, and positioning a spacebetween the poles into which the fabric is fed in loop form through theaction of the rotation of the drum. The guiding roll or feed roll 18, isconnected by a suitable chain 36, to the drum, so that it is positivelyrotated and the surface speed of the roll 18, is substantially the sameas that of the surface speed of the drum.

From the above construction it is a ppareut that I have provided afeeding mechanism for a drying machine, in which the intermittentlyoperated feeding drum is controlled by the conveyer which supports theweb, and, therefore, the placing of the web on the poles of the conveyeris automatically accomplished.

It will also be obvious that by the above mechanism the fabric placed onthe support ing poles is engaged by the feed rollers on the back sidethereof, which permits the feeding in and drying of plush or othermaterial which can only be handled on one side thereof, without injuringthe fabric.

It is understood, of course, that in the finishing of plush beforedrying, the plush is passed through a machine while wet to straightenthe nap, and, therefore, it is es sential that in the feeding in, theplush shall be handled by mechanism which does not contact with theplush surface.

It is obvious that minor changes in details of construction andarrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit ofthe invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A drying machine including supporting devices for loops of fabric, anintermittently operated feeding mechanism controlled by said supportingdevice for forming the loops thereon.

2. A drying machine including support ing devices for loops of fabric,an intermittently operated feeding mechanism controlled by saidsupporting device for forming the loops thereon, said feeding deviceincluding members which engage the back of the fabric only.

3. A drying machine including supporting devices for loops of fabric, anintermittently operated feeding mechanism controlled by said supportingdevice for forming the loops thereon, said feeding device includingmembers which engage the back of the fabric only, said supportingdevices for the fabric including supporting poles and means carried bythe poles for engaging the back of the fabric laid over the same, andholding the same.

4. A drying machine including supporting devices for loops of fabric, anintermittently operated feeding mechanism controlled by said supportingdevice for forming the loops thereon, said feeding device includingmembers which engage the back of the fabric only, said supportingdevices for the fabric including supporting poles, spaced pins carriedby the poles and projecting therefrom for engaging the back of thefabric resting on the poles.

5. A drying machine comprising an endless conveyer, supporting polescarried thereby, means for placing a fabric in loops on said supportingpoles, including a drum, and means for intermittently rotating saiddrum, said rotating means being controlled by the endless conveyer.

6. A drying machine comprising an enclless conveyer, supporting polescarried thereby, means for placing a fabric in loops on said supportingpoles, including a drum, means for intermittently rotating said drum, astop for said drum, and means controlled by said conveyer for movingsaid stop.

7. A drying machine comprising an enclless conveyer, supporting polescarried thereby, means for placing a fabric in loops on said supportingpoles, including a drum adapted to engage the back of the fabric only, aguiding roller adapted to engage the back of the fabric, means forpositively driving said drum and said roller, and means controlled bythe endless conveyer for causing said drum and guide roller to beintermittently operated in proper timing for lay ing the loops betweenthe supporting poles of said endless conveyer.

8. A drying machine comprising an endless conveyer, supporting polescarried thereby, a continuously driven feed roller, an intermittentlyoperated feed drum between said continuous feed roller and the dryingmachine for placing the fabrics in loops on said poles, and meansengaged by the poles for intermittently controlling the movement of thedrum.

9. A drying machine comprising an endless conveyer, supporting polescarried there by, a continuously driven feed roller, an intermittentlyoperated feed drum between said continuous feed roller and the dryingmachine for placing the fabrics in loops on said poles, and meansengaged by the poles for intermittently controlling the movement of thedrum, said last named means including a belt tightener, and a stop forholding the drum from movement until released by the action of thesupporting pole.

10. A drying machine comprising means for supporting fabric loops, meansfor forming said loops, including a drum engaging the fabric, acontinuously operating feed roller for supplying the drum with fabric,said fabric between said continuous roll and the drum being free to forma loop, and means for intermittently operating said drum.

11. A drying machine comprising supporting poles on which the fabric ishung in loops, means for moving said supporting poles through themachine, means for placing the fabric in loops on said poles, includinga drum, a belt for driving the drum, a lever having a cam member engagedwith the poles, a cam segment carried by the drum, a stop shoe carriedby the lever for engaging the said cam segment to prevent the rotationof the drum when said cam member is released by the poles, and a belttightener shifted by said lever to rotate the drum when said lever ismoved by the pole to release the stop shoe from the cam segment.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia,Pennsylvania, this tenth day of April, 1913.

BERTRAND A. QEARKES.

Witnesses:

JAMES H. BELL, E. L. FULLERTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

